Backup linebackers, defensive backs stepping up for Virginia Tech

April 20, 2012|By Norm Wood, nwood@dailypress.com | 757-247-4642

When Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster scans his depth chart after Saturday's spring football game, he won't lose any sleep about what he has on his defensive line, but his linebacker positions and three-quarters of the secondary are another issue altogether.

Injuries have all but forced Foster to develop some depth. Despite the absence this spring of starting middle linebacker Bruce Taylor and starting linebacker Tariq Edwards — both of whom sat out with injuries — and some serious tinkering at one cornerback spot and both safety positions, Foster hasn't lowered his expectations for his defense.

"We need to take the next step," said Foster, whose group was seventh in the nation last season in scoring defense (17.6 points per game) and 10th in total defense (304.6 yards per game). "When we were number one in the country in scoring defense those years (1999 and 2006), we were like Alabama. We gave up 13, 14 touchdowns in a year. Last year, I think we were seventh in scoring defense but it was (28 touchdowns). I want to cut that in half, ideally. ... That needs to be our mind-set, our attitude."

As strong as Tech seems to be up front with all four starters returning from a defensive line that accounted last season for 23 1/2 of Tech's 41 sacks (12th in the nation), led by defensive end and Bethel High graduate James Gayle's seven sacks, the status of Tech's back seven on the defensive side isn't quite as secure.

Jack Tyler has gotten the majority of first-team reps at middle linebacker with Taylor out, recovering from a Lisfranc foot fracture. Chase Williams has worked with the first team at linebacker while Edwards rehabilitates — he had a rod placed in his left tibia to help repair a stress fracture.

Jeron Gouveia-Winslow, the projected starter at outside linebacker, has participated in conditioning this spring, but he hasn't been full-speed and hasn't absorbed any contact. His limited participation has meant more meaningful reps for Alonzo Tweedy and Ronny Vandyke.

Though Tyler, Williams, Tweedy and Vandyke have benefited from the increased responsibility, Tech needs to have Taylor, Edwards and Gouveia-Winslow back in the fold in August. Edwards was third on the team in tackles last season with 71, while Taylor led the team in 2010 with 91 tackles.

Antone Exum, who led the team in tackles last season with 89, has undergone a significant move this spring — shifting from safety to boundary cornerback. He'll be slated to start at one cornerback spot, while Kyle Fuller is locked in at field cornerback. Foster hopes to keep Fuller from having to shift to outside linebacker in the nickel formation as much as he did in the last two seasons.

Exum has shown ability to defend wide receivers in man coverage, but still needs to improve and gain experience as a cornerback in zone coverage.

His move has added more depth to the cornerback spot, allowing former cornerbacks Kyshoen Jarrett and Detrick Bonner, both sophomores, to move to projected starting roles at free safety and strong safety, respectively. After having two-year starter Eddie Whitley and Exum manning safety last season, both safety spots will be Tech's most uncertain defensive positions heading into the fall.

Bonner started four games last season, but Jarrett has never started. They've been working ahead of two other extremely inexperienced players — redshirt freshman free safety Michael Cole, who has struggled with a hamstring injury this spring, and sophomore strong safety Boye Aromire.

"That's a great move for us," Foster said regarding Bonner and Jarrett in the safety roles. "We've improved our athletic ability and our range at safety. The big question mark was, how are these guys going to tackle? As you saw (in last Saturday's scrimmage), they're pretty physical."

Last Saturday, Tech coach Frank Beamer said he started to see some separation at various positions during the Hokies' scrimmage. With the ultimate offseason dress rehearsal on tap Saturday, he'll be looking for players who are capable of performing at a high level with several thousand fans in the stands, including a few defensive players who haven't had many opportunities to do so thus far in their careers.

"Some guys are ready to play in the Georgia Tech (season-opener) and are going to get so many plays, probably deserve so many plays, and (there are) guys who are not ready to play," Beamer said.